Work roll exchange device

ABSTRACT

The disclosure deals with a device for the installation and removal of the work rolls of a rolling mill roll frame consisting of a carriage which is movable in front of the roll frame. The carriage has a plate for receiving the work rolls which is located on the level of the mill floor. The device also consists of a shifting mechanism for the work rolls which, by means of a driving device, may be raised from its inoperative position below the floor of the mill, which is covered by a plate, to an operative position above the floor.

United States Patent Rotter et al.

[ 51 June 20, 1972 [54] WORK ROLL EXCHANGE DEVICE [72] inventors: Friedrich Rotter, Kreuztal, Kredenbach;

[2]] App]. No.: 20,683

[30) Foreign Application Pnomy Data carriage has a plate for receiving the work rolls which is March 22, 1969 Germany ..P l9 l4 685.! located on the level of the mill floor. The device also consists v V .7- of a shifting mechanism for the work rolls which, by means of a driving device, may be raised from its inoperative position g below the floor of the mill, which is covered by a plate, to an n ti t be th fl [58] Field of Search ..72/237, 238, 239 pera 3 W e 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,396,566 8/1968 Alsop et al ...72/239 3,518,862 7/1970 Dehaine et a] ..72/238 Primary Examiner-Milton S. Mehr Attorney-Henry C. Westin [5 7] ABSTRACT The disclosure deals with a device for the installation and removal of the work rolls of a rolling mill roll frame consisting of a carriage which is movable in front of the roll frame. The

PATENTEDJUH 20 I972 Fig. 1

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FRIEDRICH ROTTER HORST HANKE PATENTEDJURZO x972 3,670.550

SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTORS FRIEDRICH ROTTER HORST HANKE ATTOAAEV WORK ROLL EXCHANGE DEVICE For the exchange of the roll sets of a roll frame consisting of two work rolls, devices are known which consist of adjacently arranged tables which may be moved back and forth in front of the roll frame. By means of an hydraulically operated cylinder, the used work rolls together with the chocks are pushed from the roll frame to on of the tables positioned in front of the frame'which is then lowered under the mill floor. The second table which carries the work rolls to be installed is moved over the lowered table so that these work rolls may now be moved into the roll frame. Then the second table is moved back and the lowered table with the used work rolls is raised to floor level. Such an exchange of the work rolls is rela-- tively time consuming. In addition, the sequence of operation in the rolling mill is hindered by the shifting cylinder for the rolls which is located above the floor of the mill and the tables.

In order to avoid these disadvantages, a work roll exchange device has proved to be advantageous in practice which consists of a carriage which moves back and forth in front of the roll frame and which receives the work rolls and of a shifting device for the work rolls. The carriage has a plate which is located on the level of the mill floor on which two work roll sets may be stored side by side. The shifting device is developed in such a way that it may be pivotally lowered under the mill floor and in this inoperative position is covered by a plate which is also located at the level of the mill floor. It is true that this device makes it possible to rapidly change the work rolls and prevents interference with the sequence of operation in the rolling mill, but it has the disadvantages that, in the working position of the shifting device, the open swivel hole may result in accidents, and that, in case of repair work at the shifting device, the connection between the swivel device and the covering plate must first be detached. Then, too, the opening which receives the shifting device is completely open.

It is the purpose of this invention to eliminate these disadvantages of the last mentioned device for exchanging the work rolls while preserving the advantages. According to the invention, this problem is solved in a device for installing and removing the work rolls of a roll frame which comprises a shifting device carried by a plate which is mounted at a right angle under a cover plate. In the working position of the shifting device, this plate closes the swivel opening.

In the following, the invention is further explained by reference to the drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a work roll exchange device according to the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a profile taken on lines A-A of FIG. 1.

According to FIG. 1, a carriage 2 is arranged at the front or operator's side and thus the side opposite to the driving side of a 4-high roll frame 1. The carriage may, for example, be driven back and forth on tracks, not shown, and carries a plate located at the level of the mill floor. n the plate of this carriage 2 are located a set of new work rolls 3 and a set of used work rolls 4 which have been removed from the roll frame 1 and side shifted. The rolls, as shown in FIG. 1, comprise, in addition to the rolls themselves, the usual bearing chock members in which in each set the upper work roll assembly is carried by the lower one. The backup rolls are not shown. By means of a cylinder or other power means the carriage 2 may be moved transversely relative to the window of the frame to thereby bring the roll set 4 away from the mill, as shown in FIG. 1, and the roll set 3 into alignment with the window, as shown in FIG. 1. Cooperating with the carriage 2 will be telescoping floor plates, not shown, that eliminate any gap between the carriage and the mill floor.

As an extension of the center line of the roll frame 1, a shifting device 5 is provided which, in its normal inoperative position, is located below the mill floor, as shown in FIG. 2, and adjacent to the carriage 2. This shifting device 5 includes an hydraulic piston cylinder 6 mounted in an opening 8 provided in the carriage to mill floor. In a known manner, this cylinder 6 is mounted on a carrying plate 7 which itself is arranged at a right angle to and abuts against a plate 9 which covers the opening 8 for the shifiing device 5 and is firmly connected to the plate 9 (FIG. 2). The plate 9, as well as the carrying plate 7, with the cylinder 6 may be swiveled or pivoted around a shaft 10 which is parallel to the cylinder 6, so that the shifting device 5 may be brought from its normal position into a shifled or working position above the mill floor. For this purpose, an hydraulic piston cylinder 11 is connected to the carrying plate 7. The cylinder 11 swivels the shifting device 5 from the hard line position to the hatched position (FIG. 2). After the coupling by any well known means of the work rolls 4 or 3 to the piston of the cylinder 6, the work rolls 4 or 3 may be pulled out of the roll frame or pushed into it in a known manner. In the working position of the shifting device 5, the carrying plate 7 closes the swivel opening 8 of the shifting device 5 so that there is no gap in the mill floor. In this position, repair work may also be done at the shifting device 5 without resulting in gaps in the mill floor.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle and operation of our invention and have illustrated and described what we consider to represent the best embodiment thereof.

We claim:

1. A device for moving a roll assembly into and out of a rolling mill frame, said mill having a mill floor at the operator side thereof,

means for supporting a roll assembly at said operator side at the level of said mill floor,

a shifting device for a roll assembly and received in an opening at said operator side and including a first power means for moving a roll assembly into and out of said mill frame,

means for pivotally supporting said shifting device for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of said roll assembly when arranged in said mill,

a second power means for pivoting said shifting device between an inoperative position below the level of said mill floor and an operative position above the level of said mill floor,

said shifting device further including a first plate to close said opening when said shifting device is in its inoperative position, and Y a second plate arranged perpendicular to said first plate and including means for carrying said first power means and being of sufficient size to close said opening when said shifting device is in its operative position.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said means for supporting said roll assembly comprises a carriage which includes means for supporting a new roll assembly and a used roll assembly in a position allowing the roll assemblies to alternately be laterally moved into and out of said mill frame by said shifting device.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said carriage is arranged between said mill frame and said opening.

4. A device according to claim 2 wherein said first power means comprises a piston cylinder assembly and wherein said means for supporting said shifting device comprises a shaft arranged in said opening and extending parallel to said piston cylinder assembly.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFwcE CE'HMCATE 0F CQRECTWN Patent No. 306700550 Dated June 2Q, 1972 In Friedrich Rotter, et. alo

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 7, "on" should read one 6 Column 2, line 6, cancel "carriage to" Signed and sealed this 19th day of December 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOT'ISCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM P0405) (10-59) USCOMM-DC scam-ps9 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRlNTlNG OFFICE 2 99 35334. 

1. A device for moving a roll assembly into and out of a rolling mill frame, said mill having a mill floor at the operator side thereof, means for supporting a roll assembly at said operator side at the level of said mill floor, a shifting device for a roll assembly and received in an opening at said operator side and including a first power means for moving a roll assembly into and out of said mill frame, means for pivotally supporting said shifting device for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of said roll assembly when arranged in said mill, a second power means for pivoting said shifting device between an inoperative position below the level of said mill floor and an operative position above the level of said mill floor, said shifting device further including a first plate to close said opening when said shifting device is in its inoperative position, and a second plate arranged perpendicular to said first plate and including means for carrying said first power means and being of sufficient size to close said opening when said shifting device is in its operative position.
 2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said means for supporting said roll assembly comprises a carriage which includes means for supporting a new roll assembly and a used roll assembly in a position allowing the roll assemblies to alternately be laterally moved into and out of said mill frame by said shifting device.
 3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said carriage is arranged between said mill frame and said opening.
 4. A device according to claim 2 wherein said first power means comprises a piston cylinder assembly and wherein said means for supporting said shifting device comprises a shaft arranged in said opening and extending parallel to said piston cylinder assembly. 